Consumers are often inundated with advertising information. Frequently, however, much of the information is irrelevant to the particular interests of the consumer. For instance, a consumer on a mobile device may be browsing the Internet and see banner advertisements, pop-up ads, and the like which have little, if any, relevance to the consumer's interests. Even if such advertising makes use of so-called cookies or a browser history to attempt to provide relevant information, the information still often holds little geographical or topical interest. Similarly, when driving down the highway, a user may see billboard after billboard. Typically, however such billboards provide little interest and, if of interest, may pass by too quickly to safely obtain any desired information for contacting the company. Currently, businesses of all sizes need a novel, more accurate, and cost-effective means for advertising and providing consumers with any relevant advertising and other data, twenty-four (24) hours a day, and seven (7) days a week. Such consumers may benefit from being able to selectively receive pertinent and quality information and advertisements, rather than simply receiving unsolicited information that is difficult to capture or which holds little relevance for a consumer.
There is a growing trend of image scanning and decoding, such as the use of Quick Response (QR) codes and image recognition software that enables entities to deliver a bulk of information to users with use of camera-equipped mobile devices. Such QR codes may, however, have various limitations. For instance, the codes must be visible to a user in order to capture them. Due to slower shutter speeds that cause blurred images, it is also often difficult to obtain a suitable scan if either the user or the code is moving at a velocity or relatively different direction than one another. Moreover, capturing such codes while moving may be dangerous, particularly if a person using a vehicle is attempting to capture the codes. Further still, a QR code may often refer to an Internet address or provide other information that is available over a network. If the device is not then currently connected to a data network, such as the Internet, the consumer may be unable to access the information.
In some efforts to provide relevant information, companies such as FOURSQUARE™ may provide social networking and so-called “check-ins” at venues and establishments using location based services (“LBS”). Global positioning systems (“GPS”) may be used to enhance the LBS. Users that check-in to a particular establishment can receive promotions; however, this often requires that the user be in the general vicinity of the establishment, as evaluated using the GPS components of a consumer's mobile electronic device (e.g., smartphone). Other services, such as FROGZOG™, provide text message-based coupons to a user. A user may send a text message providing a general location (e.g., a zip code or city). The text message may also provide some textual description of goods or services of interest. For instance “Food” and a zip code may be sent to a service provider. In response, the service provider may look for restaurants and other food service providers within the zip code, city, or other desired geographical area, and send back a coupon or the like matching the request.
Smartphone applications or “apps” allow providers of the app to deliver information and promotions to users using push notifications; however, these notifications can often be unwanted or irrelevant to a consumer. Deal-of-the-day companies, such as GROUPON™ or LIVING SOCIAL™ may also provide certificates to consumers; however, the consumers may not have an option to choose the types of information they wish to receive. Rather, all users receive access to the same certificates and coupons. Furthermore, users may be able to select only regional areas of their country for their area of interest, and cannot further specify specific areas on-demand.
Another example of the incompatibility of choosing particular advertisements is ROXIMITY™. ROXIMITY™ is a location-based daily deal service that expects to interact with automobile systems, including vehicles equipped with the SYNC™ technology (i.e., vehicles produced by FORD MOTOR COMPANY™). It can be cumbersome for a user to receive notifications from particular businesses, particularly in high-traffic areas like Times Square in New York City. The sheer volume of advertisements and notifications received can be overwhelming.